Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Happy Monday everyone!!! I am feeling a bit sleepy today, just trying to get use to the time change.

But I did get some craft and scrap time over the weekend, and also did a complete change of the way I had all of my scrapbooking products organized.

Up until this past weekend, all of my embellishments were organized in bins by company. But after spending forever just looking for a doilie that I knew I had, but could not remember what company it was from, I decided I needed a change. I'm hoping that I find it much easier to find what I am looking for so I can spend more time creating and less time searching!!!

Today I am sharing a layout that I created for Mercy Tiara's 27 Day Scrappy Challenge!!

You can pop onto her Facebook page and join in the challenge, and find lots of wonderful inspiration.

This March Challenge was a pretty big stretch for me LOL. But that is sometimes a good thing. It is so easy to get stuck in a rut, and just use colours and embellishments that you find easy to create with. With this Challenge, I stumbled a bit and it took me longer than usual.

Christine Ethier's CHALLENGE

"As the Spring heads our way I was thinking :

1) Design a layout with a prominent diagonal element.

2) Use only pink and yellow papers but include a small touch of purple.

3) The title should have either something about Spring or something inspirational about life.

4) Finally use two clusters of layered elements that include any mix of stickers, chipboard, enamel dots, resin shapes, or flair.

5) Have fun!!!!

I first went through my papers and my stash searching for anything purple. Although I love the colour purple, I find that it is difficult to work with. But I did find a few elements that I could use in my clusters.

Next I went through my Tim Holtz Distress Inks, and found that I had 2 of the new Oxide Inks that worked perfectly. Wilted Violet and Worn Lipstick. For the yellow I didn't have an Oxide but I had Squeezed Lemonade in the Distress Ink.

I first covered my very light pink cardstock in Clear Gesso. Once that was dry, using a round sponge, I applied all 3 ink colours. When I was happy with how it all looked I sprinkled some water, and then ran my roll of paper towel over it to quickly pick up the water and some of the ink. I wanted it to kind of look like rain drops. It turned out really pretty!!!!

Once my background was dry I mounted it on another piece of cardstock and then I stitched around the edges with purple thread. Then I added my title, photo, and embellishments.

And this is the finished layout

This layout has way more colour than I ever usually use. But, I really love how it turned out. And I love the quote that I found. Little Taylor looks like she is not quite sure if jumping in the puddles is for her LOL. But once she gets going she is really loving it!!!!

I haven't created my own background before with inks, but I just really love those Oxide Inks and I can't wait to get some more colours and try this technique again!!!

Here are a few close up photos.

How stinkin' adorable is that little yellow rubber boot? So happy I found that and the Umbrella in my stash. Without doing some organizing, I'm not sure I would have found those.

SUPPLIES

Cardstock-Bazzill

Patterned Paper-Simple Stories

Ink-Tim Holtz : Distress Oxide Worn Lipstick & Wilted Violet

Tim Holtz Distress Ink Squeezed Lemonade

Doilie Diecuts-

Flowers-Pebbles & Sassfras

Crochet Icon-Prima

Tiny Puffy Houses-AC Amy Tangerine

Rubber Boot & Umbrella-Pink Paislee

Enamel Hearts-Doodlebug

Letters-Woodgrain : Prima, Pink : AC Thickers Sunrise

I hope this layout inspires you to try something new, and to check out

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Wow!!!! I am so behind on blogging. I just noticed today that I have 3 layouts just sitting waiting to be shared. Much better than in the past where I didn't blog because I had no crafty mojo LOL!! Before I get into this project, I would like to invite you to check out The Paper Girls Challenge Blog and join in this challenge.

Also it is a great place to jump start your own creative mojo!!!

Their latest challenge is all about Travelling and Vacations.

Over the past few months I have finally got my poop together and started working on a Disney Vacation Album for my daughter and her family. It's about time......especially since they have already made 2 trips, and this year they are taking a Disney Cruise.

When I started this album I really struggled because the colours that are perfect for this album are not really easy for me to create with. But as time goes on I think I am becoming much more comfortable. I have seen many many layouts created using the silhouette of a large Mickey Mouse head. And always wanted to give it a try. So this is what I came up with.

Thanks to all of the beautiful layouts on Pinterest that inspired me to try this out!!!

I love, love, love how this turned out!!!!! I originally tried to do the outline of the mouse using water colour pens. But it just didn't turn out the way I had it planned in my head. So instead I decided to machine stitch with 3 different colours......red, black, and yellow. Then I added some splatters with someJane Davenport water colour brushes. If you have never tried them, you should!!! The colours are simply scrumptious.

Then I just added a bunch of embellishments, a large star, and an absolutely adorable photo of my 2 adorable granddaughters, Blake and Taylor.

Sunday, March 4, 2018

Well now that the Olympics are over, it's about time I got back to blogging.

I totally got hooked on watching every event and just couldn't pull myself away. LOL. But I am so happy to get back to creating and expanding my artistic skills. I truly believe that venting my creative side is what keeps me sane. Especially when life is difficult. And right now life has been very difficult and more challenging that I want it to be. And hopefully in the near future things will settle down, and I can share good news.

In the mean time, back to scrapbooking. This layout I created has turned out to be my all time favourite. I started out by using a February Challenge from Paper Issues called Bigger is Better.

Basically to use a large title. After looking through some photos I settled on a photo I have wanted to scrap for a long time. It is one of my most favourite photos of my granddaughters that was taken right after the youngest was born. It is such a gorgeous photo and I had been putting off scrapping it, probably because I wanted to make sure I did it justice.

After going through my stash, I decided on the Crate Paper Collection......Little You.

I just love the soft pastel colours, and the dark grey that compliments them so well.

For the large title I chose to use a Silhouette Cut File, and back the word SWEET.

I used some water colours on the background, and contrast letters for the remainder of the title.

I did some stitching on the 3 different patterned papers that I used in the background. And I used some bunched up gold thread under a few of the embellishments to tie in with the gold.

I just really really LOVE how this turned out. I'm not sure what exactly makes me love this layout so much? It just makes me super happy !!!!

I hope you enjoy it also and it gives you inspiration to create. Spreading inspiration is my main goal with my blog. I am and have been inspired by so many amazing scrapbook artists.

Monday, February 19, 2018

Wow it has been awhile since I have been here!!! Flu season has been the worst that I can remember in a long time. I always get my flu shot every year and usually if I get the flu, it's mild and I get over it quickly. But not this year!!!! I was hit by the bug just after the New Year's. But it didn't seem to last long. But just when I thought I was better, it came back worse than ever. And I have been dealing with it since then. It just seems to linger on forever. This past weekend I slept for 4 days straight!!!! So I'm hoping that is the end of it LOL

I thought maybe a little crafting might get me back on track. And this challenge was perfect. It has been such a long time since I had made any cards, and so that was what I decided to create.

Both cards are actually pretty simple and fast to create.

For my HAPPY BIRTHDAY card I cut out some letters on my Silhouette

using black cardstock, and backed them with some black & white patterned paper.

I stamped the little flowers and BIRTHDAY.

And then I drew a little border with a black marker.

On my second card I cheated just a little, and

added a small amount of water colour, using the packaging technique,

on a white background. Then I stamped the cute little fox and leaves, and

"sending lots of love", with black STAZON ink.

Both cards took very little time to create, and I think they turned out pretty

About Me

I am a momma to five wonderful children and
proud Umma to 3 beautiful grand daughters.
Together we laugh, love and live, giving me
boundless opportunities to capture moments
and memories with my scrapbooking.